Pumpkin Ravioli (Uovo in Raviolo)

Pumpkin Ravioli (Uovo in Raviolo) is a light and creamy pasta featuring a savory egg yolk. You can serve it as a starter so your family and friends will have plenty of room for more Thanksgiving and holiday fare. This dish is very festive and absolutely pumpkin through and through -- from the pumpkin filling to the buttery toasted pepitas garnish. These little pillowy ravioli are a memorable & exciting way to kick off any holiday meal.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought I'd share one of my favorite fall pasta recipes: Pumpkin Ravioli (Uovo in Raviolo) with brown butter sage sauce & toasted pepitas. While this isn't a traditional Thanksgiving dish, it's a wonderful starter for your holiday guests, who will be pleasantly surprised as they cut into the savory, yolk-filled raviolo. Each tender pumpkin raviolo is like a perfect little present!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• What to Serve with Pumpkin Ravioli
• Top Tip
• Pumpkin Ravioli (Uovo in Raviolo)

Ingredients

• Egg Yolks - Gives the raviolo center its gooey texture.
• Whole Milk Ricotta - Adds richness to the ravioli filling.
• Pumpkin Puree - Provides the pumpkin flavor in the filling.
• Nutmeg - Adds a rich and woody aroma to the filling
• Butter - Creates the base for the buttery sauce.
• Garlic - Adds a delicious kick to the sauce.
• Fresh Sage Leaves - Adds an earthy and peppery taste.
• Toasted Pepitas - Provides a hearty crunch to balance the soft ingredients
• Pasta dough - Homemade pasta rolled into sheets.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

• Make ricotta pumpkin filling - Place ricotta, pumpkin puree, cheese, and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl and mix. Mix in salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
• Cut and line up the dough into circles - Cut 16 4" circles out the dough sheets and line 8 of them in a row. 
• Fill the dough circles with ricotta - Using a pastry bag, pipe 1.5"-2" rings of ricotta pumpkin filling on 8 of the dough circles. Each ring of ricotta should be wide enough to hold a yolk. 
• Place a yolk in each ricotta ring then cover them - Gently place a yolk inside of each ricotta ring, lightly wet the outer edges of the 8 dough circles, and carefully place the remaining 8 dough circles over each yolk. Carefully seal each raviolo and use a fork to press the outer edges closed.

• Boil water for the pasta - In a large or medium pot, boil salted water for the raviolo.
• Make the sauce - In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, add the sage leaves, garlic, and a few cracks of pepper to the butter. Cook until the butter turns slightly brown and has a nutty scent. At this point, the sage will crackle and the garlic will soften. Add the pepitas, stir the buttery sauce, and remove from heat.
• Cook the pasta - Gently add the ravioli to the boiling salted water and cook for exactly 3 minutes. Remove each raviolo with a slotted spoon and plate 2 per person. 
• Drizzle sauce on pasta and serve - Drizzle the brown butter sauce and garnish with the toasted sage leaves and pepitas. Serve with Parmigiano reggiano or parmesan cheese and enjoy immediately.

Hint: Use cold eggs to place in the center of the ricotta rings. Cold eggs have a smaller yolk  making it easier to fit them in the center of the rings.

Substitutions

• Nuts - Instead of pepitas, toast pine nuts, walnuts, or pecans if you want a nuttier flavor.
• Store Bought Pasta Sheets - Instead of homemade pasta you can use fresh store bought pasta sheets from whole foods or an Italian market. 
• Manchego cheese - Replace some of the Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan with Manchego cheese to add a rich and zesty flavor.

Variations

• Pancetta - Add crispy pancetta on top for some extra flavor crystals
• Whole meal- While pumpkin ravioli is a great starter, it can also be enjoyed as a complete meal if you double the recipe.

Equipment

This Pumpkin Ravioli recipe requires common kitchen essentials. To make this dish, you need a knife, cutting board, mixing bowls, pastry bag, cheese grater, slotted spoon, skillet or non-stick pan, and medium pot or dutch oven. To explore more kitchen items to make your kitchen complete, head to our Kitchen Essentials Shop.

Storage

This homemade ravioli is best enjoyed immediately. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container and keep in the fridge for up to one day. To reheat leftovers, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the leftover pasta and use tongs to gently separate the pasta in the pan to cook. Place a lid on top of the pan and allow it to reheat, about 2-3 minutes.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Ravioli

These Raviolo are a quintessential fall starter or side. Serve them with your favorite fall dinner recipes, like Roasted Turkey Roulade or Roast Chicken Thighs and Vegetables.

If you want to make this ravioli recipe for a Thanksgiving meal, check out these sides: Miso Mashed Potatoes with Miso Butter, Harvest Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Maple Roasted Kabocha, and Sautéed Mushrooms with White Wine.

Top Tip

Don’t overcook the pasta so you get a nice runny yolk when you cut into the pasta.